Uptown Voices

What up, everyone! It’s Led Black and Octavio Blanco back for another episode of Uptown Voices. This week, we are shining a massive spotlight on community wellness, sitting down with the incredible Rosana Rodriguez, founder of Yogiando NYC. After struggling with debilitating PTSD, severe physical pain, and a complete loss of hope, Rosana discovered the life-saving power of meditative yoga. But she...

This episode was recorded on Wednesday, June 25, 2026 — the first full day after Darializa Avila Chevalier's historic defeat of Adriano Espaillat in NY-13. The energy in the room is palpable from the first moment. Dr. Jose Vilson is a Dominican-Haitian educator, author, sociologist, and social media impact leader who spent fifteen years teaching sixth, seventh, and eighth grade math in Washington...

Recorded on Sunday, June 29, 2026 — one week after the earthquake of Darializa Avila Chevalier's historic primary win over Adriano Espaillat in NY-13, and in the immediate aftermath of a devastating 7.5-magnitude earthquake in Venezuela — this episode of Black and Blanco covers more ground than almost any episode in Uptown Voices history. Led Black and Octavio Blanco open with an urgent and practi...

This is a live broadcast recorded on the night of the June 23, 2026 New York City primary election. Led Black and Octavio Blanco went live on Instagram at approximately 8:11pm — with 49 minutes left before polls closed — and kept the stream going for over two hours, watching and calling the results of the NY-13 congressional primary in real time alongside their live audience. The race: Darializa A...

What does it take to go from selling weed on the corner of 139th and Broadway — dodging arrests, feeding your family, and building a street-level business empire — to running what Forbes called 'the Studio 54 of Cannabis' and opening a legal dispensary on Dyckman Street in the exact location where Dyckman Electronics stood for forty years? For Vladimir Bautista, co-founder of Happy Munkey, the ans...

It's a new day in New York City — and Uptown Voices is here for all of it. The episode opens with hosts Led Black and Octavio Blanco still riding the high of the New York Knicks' first NBA championship in decades. From the celebrations at 181st and Cabrini to Dyckman Street to the packed subway cars after the final buzzer, they share the kind of community joy that only Uptown can deliver — and dra...

Today, Uptown Voices steps inside a modern-day musical fairy tale born right on the pavements of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx. Hosts Octavio Blanco and Led Black roll out the red carpet for the powerhouse duo known as Uptown Royalty —composed of multi-instrumentalist/composer Ron Renaissance and elite vocalist Jodi Music. In an emotionally raw and deeply inspiring broadcast, the couple shares the...

The race for New York's 13th Congressional District is no longer a foregone conclusion. 🗳️  Darializa Avila Chevalier — Afro-Latina, daughter of Dominican immigrants, longtime Washington Heights organizer, and the only woman in the country to outraise an incumbent congressional challenger in the first quarter — sits down with Led Black and Octavio Blanco for one of the most substantive conversatio...

Today, in the Black and Blanco edition of Uptown Voices we present a definitive, wide-ranging interview with New York’s 13th Congressional District Representative, Adriano Espaillat. From a childhood overstaying a tourist visa to ascending to the powerful House Appropriations Committee, Espaillat’s 40-year climb up the political ladder is a cornerstone of Upper Manhattan's modern history. But in 2...

One year ago, Uptown Voices launched their first episode  with NOMAA. Now, for their anniversary, Led Black and Octavio Blanco  return — this time live inside the breathtaking Sorolla Gallery at the  Hispanic Society Museum in Washington Heights. Joined by NOMAA Executive Director Niria Leyva Gutiérrez and Uptown Art  Stroll Director Martin Collins, this is a deep, joyful, urgent conversation  abo...

What does it look like when someone takes everything life threw at them  — homelessness, single motherhood at 19, a stage two cancer diagnosis  — and turns it into fuel to transform an entire community? Meet Zulaika Velazquez. In this episode of Uptown Voices, Led Black and Octavio  Blanco sit down with one of Northern Manhattan's most extraordinary  educators, directors, and community builders. Z...

What does it take to build a 30-year career in tech, media, and social media before anyone else in your community even knew those were careers? Ask George Torres — the Urban Jibaro. In this episode of Black & Blanco Uptown Voices, Led Black and Octavio Blanco sit down with George Torres, a true Latino pioneer in the digital space. George created the first Latino blog on the internet in 1997 —...

Another Sunday, another dose of real talk from Uptown. In this episode  of Black & Blanco Uptown Voices, Led Black and Octavio Blanco cover  everything happening on the ground in Washington Heights, Inwood, Harlem,  and the South Bronx — from the fight to keep rents frozen, to the arts  events you need to know about, to the quality of life battles playing out  on the streets of Northern Manhat...

In this episode of Black & Blanco / Uptown Voices, Led Black and Octavio Blanco open on Mother's Day with love for the mothers who hold it all together — then get into the real issues facing uptown. The Dyckman Street fire weighs heavy on this episode. Three lives lost, over 100 residents displaced, and a landlord — Jack Bick of Jan Jan Realty — who was already on the Public Advocate's list of...

Former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and White House Chief of Staff to Dr. Jill Biden, Julissa Reynoso, shares how growing up in the South Bronx and Washington Heights shaped a trailblazing career in law, diplomacy, and now — playwriting. What does it take to go from a seven-year-old immigrant arriving in the South Bronx to serving as U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Chief of Staff to the First Lady of the...

Sarina Prabasi co-founded Buunni Coffee in Washington Heights with her husband Elias in 2012 after moving from Ethiopia with two contacts, no business network, and a vision of what a neighborhood coffee shop could be. Thirteen years later, Buunni is one of upper Manhattan's most beloved community institutions — and Sarina is one of its most compelling voices. In this episode of Uptown Voices, host...

Led Black and Octavio Blanco are back for another live Sunday session, bringing the energy, the community love, and the unfiltered conversations that make Uptown Voices essential listening for anyone who calls uptown home — or wishes they did. In this episode: 🎵 Uptown Cultural Roundup The guys kick off with a packed calendar of uptown events. Led shouts out NOMA's "America the Beautiful?" exhibi...

About This Episode: In this high-stakes episode of Uptown Voices, hosts Octavio Blanco and Led Black sit down with Julien Segura, a Democratic Socialist candidate running for the 71st District of the NY State Assembly. Representing the vibrant neighborhoods of Washington Heights, Inwood, and Manhattanville, Segura doesn't hold back in his critique of the long-standing political establishment.     ...

What's the secret weapon behind the Dominican Republic's legendary baseball talent? It's not just raw skill — it's La Vitilla , a street game played with the plastic cap from a large water jug. This week, Led Black and Octavio Blanco sit down with Kevin Reyes , president and founder of Li Vido USA , the non-profit bringing this beloved Dominican pastime to the streets of New York City. Kevin arriv...

It started with the return of a beloved Chino Latino restaurant in Washington Heights and ended with two friends in an intense debate about the Middle East, Trump, and the future of America. That's Uptown Voices. That's Black & Blanco. In this wide-ranging episode, Led Black and Octavio Blanco cover everything happening uptown — from community arts opportunities and free childcare to the upcom...

Annette Aguilar is many things — Afro Latin Jazz drummer, percussionist, educator, and one of Uptown's greatest treasures. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, toured Africa as a Latin Jazz Ambassador, played the Havana Jazz Festival, and earned two masters degrees. She could be anywhere. She chooses Inwood. And Uptown is better for it. In this episode of Uptown Voices, Led Black and Octavio B...

Spring has arrived and Uptown is alive — Led Black and Octavio Blanco kick off with a packed roundup of what's happening in the community: free summer camps, a $10K public art opportunity at the Hispanic Society, local artists lighting up subway elevators, and a 20-piece jazz orchestra led by the legendary Annette Aguilar. They make the case for Mad Bills to Pay , a must-see Dominican film hitting...

In this episode of Uptown Voices, we dive deep into the complex web of current global crises, particularly focusing on the unprecedented disruptions in oil markets, the geopolitical maneuvers in Iran, Israel, and Russia, and their profound impacts on the U.S. economy. With insights from independent oil trader Chris Lewis, we explore the risks, the underlying strategies, and the potential future sc...

In this in-depth interview, Darializa Avila Chevalier discusses her campaign for Congress in District 13, addressing critical issues like housing affordability, community organizing, foreign policy, and the influence of lobby groups like AIPAC. The conversation also explores the broader geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their impact on U.S. politics and society. Chapters 00:00 Introduct...

Join Led Black and Octavio Blanco as they explore local community events, cultural initiatives, and critical global issues including the recent escalation in Middle East tensions. This episode offers insights into community activism, local opportunities, and geopolitical analysis. Key Topics: Community engagement and local events in Washington Heights Cultural initiatives supporting local artists...